Like the Olympics...but with science!

You could cut the tension with a knife. Who would emerge victorious, Menomonee Falls or Rice Lake?

Usually a tired cliche like that would be reserved for an athletic event. This tagline instead describes the setting of the awards ceremony for the Middle School Science Olympiad held on campus Saturday.

Rice Lake Middle School took home first place out of 53 teams from throughout the state, followed by Menomonee Falls and Marshall. It was the school's first win in the nine years it has participated in the event.

"Last year we missed nationals by 1 1/2 points, so we knew we had to come back and take it," said teary-eyed Rice Lake coach Cindy Villalpando. "It was now or never."

Holding up their trophy was the shining moment for the team, but it was only one of many highlights on the day. The Olympiad, which featured 24 events in an Olympics-like setting, gave younger students the chance to learn and compete in a college environment. UW-Oshkosh's Science Outreach program organized the event.

"It's a nerd fest," said 8th-grader Rai Tokuhisa. "It always has been and it always will be. It's just great to know that there are other people out there who are still cool (and) that are just as nerdy."

Tokuhisa, from Lincoln Middle School in Kenosha, was part of a team that finished third in the ecology competition. She said the university student volunteers were helpful and that she liked the campus environment.

"At first it's really intimidating and you constantly have to look at your map, but as soon as you get a feel for the layout, it's almost like home," she said.

Student volunteer Don Tatalovich, 21, said the event is just another effort Science Outreach makes toward educating younger students.

"I think in general, Science Outreach offers people (a chance) to learn a lot before they're in a college setting," he said, adding that a lot of the materials covered in the event are used in upper-level classes. "A lot of the stuff they learn here will carry right over into college."

Although he doesn't plan on becoming a teacher, Tatalovich, a biology major, said that he enjoys the chance to teach and interact with younger students.

"I think it's something I'd like to do - if nothing else, in a volunteer capacity - for the rest of my life," he said.

Tokuhisa, who has an interest in anatomy, said she would definitely consider attending UW-Oshkosh when it comes time. She has also thought about joining the Marine Corps. "I want to prove that you can have brains as well as brawn," she said.

The state Olympiad is in its 21st year. Leading up to Saturday, Menomonee Falls had won the past three competitions.

"It's exciting to interact with the students and to see their interest in science," said George Weir, 21, of Science Outreach. "They have a genuine interest in what they're doing, which makes them a great group to work with."

The competition wasn't the only entertainment for the students, as Ed Mueller put on a chemistry demonstration in Kolf Sports Center shortly before the awards ceremony. Mueller displayed the "magic" involved in scientific processes.

In one demonstration, he performed a simple math equation using random numbers shouted from the crowd. After achieving his answer, he pulled from an envelope a piece of paper that appeared to be blank. He then sprayed the paper with a substance and the exact same number appeared on the sheet.

"That one I probably won't explain to you because I don't understand it myself," he told the students. "Go see your math teacher."

Villalpando and fellow coach Kari Hudson said their team has been preparing since January, and in the past two months has been working after school almost every night.

"Overall as a team they're such a nice group of kids," Villalpando said. "They back each other up." Even team members who did not place in events were excited for teammates who did, she said.

Both Rice Lake and Menomonee Falls qualified to compete at nationals in Wichita, Kan. May 18-19.

Examining the decision to move off-campus

Moving away from home and onto a college campus can be an exciting experience, complete with newly found independence and plenty of chances to meet new people. However, it's a novelty that appears to quickly wear off, as students seem to bolt the residence halls as soon as their required two-year stay is up.

"I think it's the whole (idea that) you're even more grown up if you have your own place," said nursing major Amy Bartram, 23, who has lived in an apartment for two years.

Tom Fojtik, director of the Department of Residence Life, said about 5 percent of all students living in residence halls are juniors or seniors. There has been a steady decline in the amount of older students living on campus in recent years, he said.

"We've seen a great increase in the amount and quality of off-campus housing," he said. "(Students) have a lot more options, and I think they choose the option that is best for them."

But for some upperclassmen, staying in a residence hall is a welcome alternative to the immediate costs of living off campus.

"It doesn't add up to me," said senior Kat Brannaman, 23. "At least in the dorms I don't have to pay for it until I get out of school, when I have a decent job and I'm making enough money to pay for all that."

Brannaman said it's nice not having to worry about paying bills related to housing every month, and that right now she would be unable to afford living in an apartment.

"It's not cheaper (to live off campus) by any means. At least when you're in the dorms, everything's included in one bill, including your meal plan," she said.

Becky Jeglum, 20, is a junior living in a residence hall. Because she was the valedictorian of her high school class, she received a scholarship that covers her tuition and half her room and board.

Jeglum said she sometimes feels "like a loser" when fellow upperclassmen ask her where she lives and that it's sometimes awkward since most students her age live off campus.

"I'd say it's an unwritten rule, but I don't know if there's really any pressure," she said. "I think people just do it because that's what everyone else is doing. I think it just all depends on what your friends do."

The most common complaint from students is that the hall rules are too strict, Fojtik said, but staff members are simply trained to stop trouble when they see it. "Some people are more comfortable with that than others," he said.

Bartram listed the dormitory rules as one of the top reasons for her moving into an apartment. At one point, a community adviser gave her an incident report for having her TV on too loud, she said.

Fojtik said Residence Life is always looking for new ways to attract upperclassmen into its buildings. "I think what we need is different kinds of housing options for upperclassmen because most of them just don't want to live in a traditional residence hall," he said.

Stewart Community, which has single rooms for upper-level undergraduates, is Residence Life's best effort to connect to older students, but it may not be enough, Fojtik said.

"The reason we like having (upperclassmen) is that a lot of them are successful academically and I think they can serve as good role models to our younger students," he said.

Jeglum, a human resource management major, said she considered living in Stewart to avoid "all the crazy freshmen," but decided she wanted to be more social. She said Residence Life could be doing a better job promoting juniors and seniors living on campus, considering all the housing information that sophomores receive from area landlords.

Brannaman said the thought of moving off campus has occurred to her a number of times, but she always arrives at the same conclusion. "A lot of people expect you to do it, and you get funny looks when you don't," she said. "A lot of people also find out once they move off campus that it's not as easy as people think it is."

She added that she has had friends who have moved off campus and returned to the residence halls because they could not afford it.

Brannaman, who has lived in six different halls, admitted that sometimes living in a cramped environment can be inconvenient, especially when people don't respect others in the building. "It's hard living on a floor with a whole bunch of guys and girls who are obnoxious and loud. They don't respect the fact that there are other people sleeping," she said. "Nasty puke and stuff in the bathrooms is no fun, either."

The food at Blackhawk Commons also seems to be a point of contention for many students as there has been a call for more of a variety in meal choices.

"It's not real food," Jeglum said. "I want to be able to make my own healthy food."

Brannaman, on the other hand, said that the dining services are more than sufficient. "Not having to cook everyday? It's a beautiful thing," she said.

Fojtik said he understands that when students move off campus, it's similar to the step they take when they first move into a residence hall as freshmen.

"When you first get to college, it's a rite of passage," he said. "Another rite of passage is moving off campus and signing a lease and doing all those things. I think for a lot of students, that's just a part of college.

Working for a non-violent resolution

In her teaching years, Dr. Ann Frisch always encouraged her students to make the world a better place. After retirement, she's still leading by example.

Frisch, a former education and human services professor at UW-Oshkosh, left Saturday for a 10-week trip with Nonviolent Peaceforce, an organization that aims to work out international conflicts peacefully. Her first stop is Guatemala, where she will be part of a four-person team that will act as bodyguards for human rights workers in the country.

Due in part to upcoming elections, human rights workers investigating crimes against women, Indians and homosexuals are being specifically targeted.

"It's a tough time down there," Frisch said. "We're completely nonpartisan politically, but since there's heightened violence, the human rights workers are at risk and they have to do their jobs."

Despite the dangerous situation, Frisch said that she is not afraid for her life. Although she highly doubts she'll be abducted, she will carry a card on her at all times that says her organization won't pay ransom. Her potential kidnappers will have no use for her and will probably let her go, she said, which makes her feel safe.

"We're not there to be martyrs," she said. "We're there to keep ourselves and other people safe. There are realistic risks, but we're there to protect."

Al Lareau, one of Frisch's former colleagues, said he wasn't surprised to hear that she took on the project.

"She's very strongly committed to peace and community, and this is a culmination of that," he said. "It's an incredible opportunity for her and a great contribution."

Growing up, Frisch said her family would often discuss politics over the dinner table. Her mother deeply respected Mahatma Gandhi, and when Frisch entered college her mother encouraged her to study him. Soon after starting college, she became a Quaker and said that was when she truly started to feel that war was unnecessary.

"We prefer to resolve problems by peaceful means," she said, although today she is not an official member of the Quaker church.

Wayne Swanger, a Quaker and former colleague of Frisch, said that the efforts of Nonviolent Peaceforce epitomize the religion's beliefs that violence is never the answer. "Her efforts certainly reflect that position," he said.

The peace organization, based in Brussels, Belgium, has a mission to "build a trained, international nonviolent peace force," according to its Web site. Frisch said its long-term goal is to replace the world's armies with peacekeepers, which she said is not as unrealistic as it sounds.

"People have different views about what is making the world a better place," she said. "You show people that this really works. It's not magic, it's learning how to talk to people."

Through a blog, Frisch will keep family, friends and anyone who is interested updated on her work. She said it is part of her belief that secrecy is the basis for many of the world's problems. "Once you shy away from secrecy, violence gets undone," she said.

The effort in Guatemala is only a portion of the 10-week trip. After that, her team will move to Columbia to help protect some established peace communities that are trying to distance themselves from the country's crime problems.

Frisch will be working as a volunteer, but her living expenses will be covered. Any excess funds that the workers receive are sent back to the United States because they try to live as simply and as much like the locals as possible.

Frisch's experience living in Guatemala for two years and being fluent in Spanish should help her with any problems, she said. She also doesn't think she will run into any serious trouble.

"It's exciting, but hopefully it's not too exciting," she said.

Female powerlifters dominate, perservere

An athlete steps up to the enormous amount of weight before her. After countless hours of preparation in the gym, there's only one thing left to do: get mad.

Two UW-Oshkosh seniors, Alyssa Hitchcock and Jodi Barrett, say that's how they get in the zone when the pressure's on. Beyond the glory associated with official Oshkosh athletics, these two women are making their mark in a lesser-known sport: power lifting.

"I try to focus and see myself complete the lift successfully and legally," Barrett said. "I think, 'There's nothing left to do but rip that weight up.'"

Hard-rock music from artists like Disturbed and Slipknot also plays a role in getting pumped up, Hitchcock said.

While other students represent the university in more publicized sports, Hitchcock and Barrett's success brings a different dimension to Titan athletic pride. In fact, the exercise science department can boast having one of the world's best.

Hitchcock reached the pinnacle of her career last September when she won her weight class at the Junior World Championships with a total of 998 pounds, a full 100 more than her closest competitor in the 148-pound weight class. That total was well below her usual average of 1,036 pounds, which would have tied her for first in the 181-pound class.

Immediately after joining the power lifting team her freshman year of high school, Hitchcock was hooked. She won the national championship that very same year - and again her senior year - and would go on to win three state titles.

Despite that early success, she didn't see herself as a future world champ.

"I never thought it could happen, especially starting out as a little 92-pounder," she said. Now, at 138 pounds, she's in the world's elite.

Her three-hour daily workout routine on top of classes and homework leaves her little time for anything else, but Hitchcock said that she also enjoys winter sports like snowboarding whenever she gets the chance.

If Hitchcock's story is one of exceptional work ethic day in and day out for the past nine years, Barrett's is one of overcoming adversity in the form of a crippling car wreck.

After getting involved in the sport her junior year of high school, an accident that shattered her kneecap in six places derailed her career for what she thought was indefinitely. However, through a volunteer experience at Neenah High School last fall, she said she regained the passion she once felt for the sport.

"After the accident I never thought I could power lift again just because of my range of motion in my knee, but I got started with it again and thankfully I could do it," she said. "I got the taste again for the sport and I'm just loving it."

Watching the coaches at the school really has given her something to aim for, she said. "Just seeing them in the weight room and seeing how much they can lift is a big motivation for me to be successful in the sport," she said.

Barrett's comeback trail hasn't been without its setbacks. At the Wisconsin State Open in January, she had successful lifts in the squat and dead lift but failed to complete the bench press and was disqualified. She bounced back five weeks later in Minnesota, however, completing all three and earning a spot at the Collegiate Nationals.

Barrett says that she has a passion for all sports, which is why she chose exercise science as a major. In addition to her work in Neenah, she works as a physical trainer in Albee Hall.

"She's really focused and no-nonsense, and she pushes me to test my limits," said Amy Nash, one of her clients. "If I try to get out of work, she encourages me to do my best."

Although both can probably out-lift the average male, neither considers herself to be intimidating. "With a lot of guys, they're really interested," Barrett said. "They're more curious and they ask a lot of questions, but they're never really discriminatory. Maybe for some guys it's like 'Wow, she can probably kick my butt.'"

Hitchcock admitted that she can imagine men being intimidated by women lifters, but she's found a simple solution: "You gotta date (other) power lifters," she said. "I wouldn't date someone I could beat up."

Despite being top-tier athletes, both have managed to stay grounded throughout their success. Hitchcock appeared uncomfortable when asked about being in an elite class, saying that it's her love of the sport itself that's important to her.

"I live for lifting. It's my outlet in life," she said.

Barrett, on the other hand, also refused to brag about her accomplishments. She described her qualification for Collegiate Nationals as "no big deal."

Hitchcock, who already has used up her four years of eligibility on the national collegiate scene, said she will continue to compete until "I break in half or my bones shatter." Luckily for her, there are meets like the Women's Nationals, in which all ages can compete.

"I have friends that are all over the world, so that's a big part of it," she said.

The senior is also adamant about staying drug-free in her training and said that drug tests are routine in the sport. At the world competition it took her 5 1/2 hours to complete testing.

"You can tell some of the people (that have been using) because they're so ballooned up," she said. She has seen competitors disqualified on numerous occasions for testing positive.

Barrett will next compete at the Collegiate Nationals in Kileen, Texas, April 13-15. Hitchcock will lift in the Badger Open in June.